Starlight Express Light Mod Edition

After almost 10 years in Heavy Modified Pulling with 3 Allison V12 aircraft engines, the Starlight Express Pulling Team from Parma in Italy made the switch into the 2.5t/5500lbs. Light Modified division this season. The Italians ran for 3 years with 3 turbocharged Allison V12 engines in the Heavy Modified class in Italy. The Starlight Express Team had success with 3 turbocharged engines, but also sometimes bad luck and technical problems with the right settings of the engines. After the 2016 season with a lots of problems and less time to get all 3 Allisons in good shape, the crew decided to make the switch into the Light Modified class with a single tubocharged Allison on the frame.
For the switch they took over the old Starlight Express 3 chrome-moly tube frame with the homemade cage and the completely Rockwell rearend. The tube frame was modified for 1 engine,  received some new engine brackets and a fresh paintjob. Also the homemade aluminium fenders and the Midwest aluminium rims with the Firestone Puller 2000HP tires were took over of the old one. Also, the fenders got a new look during the season. The Rockwell rear axle in the Light Mod has a SQHD aluminium center section, a homemade aluminium differential with gears from the Green Monster Pulling Team from Germany, a Rockwell ring and pinion gear and aluminium planetaries carrier housing with Franklin planetaries.

The Tractor also needed some new lighter parts in the drivetrain for the the switch. The ride got a new homemade reverser with a homemade steel housing, a new homemade driveline and a 4 disc Molinari centrifugal clutch with a Browell aluminium bell housing.
The Starlight Express Light Mod is powered by a turbocharged Allison V1710 V12 engine on methanol fuel. The Allison engine comes from the old triple Allison Mod and was improved. The Allison power plant has a original Allison block with sleeves from the Green Monster Pulling Team, a original Allison crank with stock rods and Arias aluminium pistons, revised cylinder heads with Allison cams and a homemade belt drive, a new homemade intake and exhaust manifold, 2 Garret T18 turbochargers from the Dutch Popeye Pulling Team, a Hillborn fuel system with a Hillborn PG 250 fuel pump, a selfmade stain less steel fuel tank, a MSD 8 ignition and a AIM MXL Pro data logger.
The new Light Mod made its maiden voyage at the Italian Championship finals in Jolanda di Savoia in August. The Tractor made a good start, but after 20m the engine had a backfire and a little fire, driver Romano Mozzioni went from the thorttle and stopped the Tractor. Back in the workshop they found no major damage on the engine, only a broken thorttle wire and a little fuel leakage. Also after the the first run in front of the Sledge, they changed the Mallory ignition against the MSD 8 ignition.
The Starlight Express Team will compete with their Strlight Express Light Mod in the Italian Championship next year.

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